Nigeria has retrogressed, says poll

Eighty-eight per cent of Nigerians have agreed with the poor mid-term score given by analysts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration while 56 per cent of this number have judged the country as worse of where it was, two years ago.

Barely a week into Democracy day and for days after, the media was awash with various commentaries and analysis of the president’s poor performance in the last two years. Research organisations like Lagos-based SBM Intelligence released a report saying this administration had fulfilled 6% of the 171 promises it made during its election campaigns. It scored PMB and his team highest in handling foreign relations, national security and anti-corruption, and lowest in reducing cost of governance, fixing power and economy.

In a poll carried out by The Guardian website and Twitter handle, only 12 per cent of respondents think that the unflattering May 29 scorecard was propaganda sponsored by opposition parties made up of aggrieved politicians. Another thirty-two per cent (32%) are of the opinion that the president is doing his best.

Given that the president’s unrelenting health challenges and forced medical leaves are typical of a septuagenarian, this 32 per cent may not be far from the truth with regards to the president’s capacity. However, when one considers the numerous government parastatals, the size of Nigeria’s legislature and judiciary, and that the president has a vice, one begins to wonder why the country should be literally grounded to a halt by the capacity of Mr President. Is it a question of over-concentration of power at the top?

Acting President Osinbajo had last Sunday asked Nigerians to be ready to make more sacrifices. How much more? He didn’t say.